San Deigo Forward Search

SANDAG, through a Caltrans Strategic Partnership Grant, is collaborating with large and small MPOs and RTPAs in the state to develop a
tool that can be used for conducting Social Equity Analyses for regional plans throughout the state of California.

Currently agencies use varied approaches when conducting a social equity analyses of regional plans such as RTPs and the SCSs
required by SB 375. There is not a widely accepted tool used by regional and local agencies to model the burdens and benefits
of regional plans and the projects they encompass to consistently evaluate environmental justice outcomes expected to result
from a plan or project. This project calls for identification of best practices being used by regional agencies to analyze
proposed plans and covered projects and development of a Social Equity Analysis Methodology (SEAM) and Social Equity
Analysis Tool (SEAT) for statewide use.

A technical working group consisting of modelers and planners from a variety of sizes of MPOs and RTPAs has been convened
to work with the consultant on determining a set of performances measures and methods of analysis that will provide a
consistent, yet flexible tool for analyses. The project envisions several tiers of effort. The Project will use a “tiered”
approach for developing the SEAM encompassing different levels of topical coverage, analysis sophistication, and data needs.
The three tiers are:

Tier One includes methods, likely focused on up to five core performance measures, that can be carried out by all
California MPOs and RTPAs with existing data and resources;

Tier Two includes additional methods and measures that may be within the existing capabilities of larger MPOs,
and that can be adopted by medium and small MPOs with modest expansion of existing capabilities and resources;
and

Tier Three includes forward looking methods and measures for conducting social equity analyses encompassing topics
such as health and housing.

Due to the size of the grant, the SEAT that is developed will only be capable of
modeling Tier One and Tier Two methods. It should be noted that the tool is not intended for use in modeling
currently impacted communities since tools such as Cal EnviroScreen already exist for this. Rather, the SEAT is
concentrated on forecasting future outcomes for social equity focus populations resulting from implementation of
long term transportation plans. The project is underway and planned for completion by fall of 2017.

The Regional Planning Committee established the Regional Plan Community Based Organizations (CBO) Working Group to provide
input on the Regional Plan at key stages in the process. The CBOs will also be assisting in
soliciting input from the communities they represent to ensure lower income and minority communities voices are heard
in the process.